Perchance To Dream
by November Rain 19
Summary: My second Tai/Sora. Sometimes, when good things happen, we believe that we must be dreaming. What if we weren't?


Author's Notes: This story marks the end of that cursed writer's block. Anyway, I hope you enjoy. 

Matt, Tai, and Sora are 18 years old. Mimi and Izzy are 17. TK and Kari are 15. 

Special Thanks: I want to thank my friend Maya (Animal Morpher). Her website provided the information for Wormmon and his digievolutions. (I didn't know the attacks for his upper level, so I made them up. Sorry.) 

Dedication: This is for all my friends at OSU. I wouldn't trade these years for anything. I love you guys.   
  
  


Perchance To Dream   
By Melissa 

  
  


Seven of digidestined and eight digimon sat around a campfire in the digital world. They had made a habit of going to the digital world every couple of months, to both visit the digimon and catch up with each other. The only one missing was Joe, who was half a world away in America attending medical school. 

Everyone shared what was going on in their lives as of late. Tai had just found out that he had received a soccer scholarship at a very good university in Japan. Matt and his band had been offered a record deal, so he was forgoing higher education for a year to record it. Sora was going to a college in America to major in life sciences, specifically botany. Her mother's love of plants had rubbed off on her, and she wanted to study it more. Mimi and Izzy, who were very much in love, were going to enter their senior year of high school. They had admitted their feelings for each other a few months ago, and had been happy ever since. TK and Kari, were going into their sophomore year of high school. And, most suspected, were discovering new feelings for each other as well. 

While they all very were happy to see each other, there was also a hint of sadness. Their group was breaking up again. When Joe had left it was hard on everyone, especially Gomamon. Now three more were leaving. They were like leaves being scattered in the wind. 

It had almost been two years since TK, Kari and the new digidestined had defeated the Digimon Emperor. Ken Ichijouji had just up and disappeared after that, much to Yolei's chagrin. There were a lot of rumors, but the children suspected that he was in hiding in the digital world. He had not been heard from in a long time though.   


Little did the digidestined know, that a pair of eyes were watching them concealed inside a nearby bush. Those eyes belonged to Wormmon, the digimon that belonged to Ken. Even though Wormmon no longer wore a dark ring, he was still fiercely loyal to Ken. Even after the way the Digimon Emperor had treated him, Wormmon still stayed by his side. 

"I will avenge my master's defeat by destroying the digidestined," Wormmon said to himself. 

While not really wanting to hurt anyone, this was the only way Wormmon could think of to show Ken how much he cared for him. Wormmon continued to watch the unsuspecting children, waiting for the perfect moment to attack.   


Their little reunion went deep into the evening. Rather then return to the real world, they decided to spend the night in the digital world. Mimi and Izzy fell asleep in each other's arms, with Tentomon and Palmon nearby. TK and Kari fell asleep leaning against each other, each holding onto their digimon. Matt was leaning against a fallen log, and had his arm around Gabumon. It wasn't long before he too was asleep. Biyomon, Agumon and Gomamon curled up next to each other and were out like a light. The only ones who had not fallen asleep right away were Tai and Sora. 

Tai sat watching the fire for a short time. Every once in awhile he would steal a glance at Sora. The child of love and his best friend. For as long as he remembered though, Tai wished that their friendship would be something more. 

'Good going, Kamiya. Why did you have to wait so long to tell her? You're both going away to college soon, and she's leaving the country. What's the point of telling her now?' he thought to himself. 

Somewhere, a voice deep inside him answered. 'It's better then wondering what might have been.' 

While fighting with himself over what to do, a breeze blew through the encampment. Sora unconsciously hugged herself, trying to stay warm. 

Tai saw this and got up from his spot by the fire. He crossed to where Sora was sitting by a large rock. He took a seat beside her. He took off the jacket he was wearing and draped it around her shoulders, without giving it a second thought. 

Sora smiled slightly and looked at him. "Thank you, Tai. Won't you be cold though?" 

Tai could feel himself getting lost in her crimson eyes. He had totally forgot to answer her question. 

Sora arched an eyebrow at him. "Earth to Tai? Come in, Tai." 

Tai shook his head. "Sorry, I must have zoned out for a second." 

"What's the matter? Am I not interesting enough company for you?" Sora asked playfully. 

Tai smiled at her. "Well, you are the only other one awake....," he said jokingly. 

He was rewarded with smile, and a swat in the arm. 

Sora stifled a yawn. She moved closer to Tai and placed her head on his shoulder. In response, he put his arm around her. They lapsed in silence for awhile. 

"What are you thinking about, Tai?" Sora asked eventually, her eyes barely open. 

It took a second for Tai to answer. "I guess I'm thinking about how our little group is being broken up again," he said, with some sadness in his voice. 'But mostly I'm thinking about how I'm losing you,' he thought to himself. 

"We've overcome our group being split up before. Like when Devimon scattered us to parts unknown. Or when Matt needed some time to himself. And also when Joe and Mimi broke off from the rest of us. In the end though, we ended up back together again. Have faith in our bond, Tai. Nothing can break it." 

Little did Tai realize that when she had said to have faith, she had meant the bond between the two of them more than anything else. 

Tai glanced down at the angel he held in his arms. She had almost fallen asleep. 

'Now or never,' he said mentally. 

"Sora?" he asked. 

"Hmmm?" she answered, caught somewhere between dreaming and waking. 

"I don't know if you can hear me, or even if you will remember what I am about to say next. Just know that I had to tell you." 

Tai bent his head down close to Sora ear and spoke quietly. 

"For the longest time I have been trying to figure out love. I kind of envy you, having the crest of love and all. You understand it better then any of the rest of us. When I had realized that I had fallen in love, I believe that I had just scratched the surface of finding out what love really is. I'm telling you this, because I fell in love with you. I didn't get to choose, I just fell. I believe, in my heart of hearts, that even if I did have a choice, I still would have fallen in love with you. That was just the effect that you had on me. And now that you are leaving me, I feel that I must be in hell. You are everything to me, and I am so very afraid that when we part ways, that I will be nothing without you." 

Tai tightened his embrace around Sora. As he did so, Sora opened her eyes. She was not sure if she was dreaming or not. She had wanted for so long to hear those words from Tai. 

Tai did not realize that Sora was now fully awake. Sighing, he placed a kiss on her forehead and leaned back against the rock. "You'll probably never realize how much I truly love you," he said as he closed his eyes. 

Sora wasn't sure how much time had passed. She could feel the thrumming of Tai's heart. She realized that it was beating in perfect harmony with hers. 

She picked her head up off his shoulder and brought her face close to his. She watched him for awhile, observing the rhythmic breathing that accompanied his sleep. 

Leaning in close, she placed a soft kiss on his lips. 

Tai felt a warm sensation on his lips. It made him smile. He slowly opened his eyes to be confronted with the sight of Sora kissing him. 

His eyes widened for a moment, but then he closed them and returned the kiss. 

'God, I must be dreaming,' he thought. 'I hope I never wake up.' 

Sora finally broke the kiss, and gently stroked his cheek. Tai looked at her with eyes half open. 

"I do realize how much you love me, Tai. I know, because I love you too." 

Tai gave her a lopsided grin. "I don't ever want to wake up from this dream." 

Sora chuckled at the fact that Tai thought he was asleep. Gently, she pinched the upper part of his arm. "Did you just feel that?" 

"Yeah....." 

"Then you're not dreaming." 

In his sleepy state, it took Tai a minute to realize what had just happened. When he did, he sat bolt upright, breathing heavily and his heart hammering against his chest. "You....you heard me??" 

Sora nodded, as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you, Tai. I always have, and I always will," she said as she drew him into a hug. 

Tai was in complete shock. He couldn't believe this was really happening. He put his arms around her and hugged her tight, never wanting to let go. 

From his hiding place, Wormmon watched the whole thing transpire. "I hate to break up such a touching moment, but I have to do this." 

He left his hiding place and made his way towards the digidestined. As he walked though, he accidentally stepped on a twig. It made a distinct snapping noise. 

While not very loud, it was enough to be detected by Tai and Sora. 

"Did you just hear that?" Tai asked. 

"I was just about to ask you the same thing," Sora replied. 

They broke their embrace and turned to peer over the rock. Standing not too far away was Wormmon. 

Tai narrowed his eyes. "What are you doing here?" 

While Tai verbally engaged the intruder, Sora started waking up the rest of the digidestined. 

"I'm here to destroy you," Wormmon said, matter of factly. 

"You??" Tai asked incredulously, stifling a laugh. 

"Yes. You defeated Ken, and I am here to avenge that defeat." 

All the digimon and digidestined joined Tai by the rock. 

"You must be very brave, or very stupid," Gatomon hissed. "Just get out of here. You're outnumbered." 

Wormmon shook his head. "I'm sorry it has to end like this. Wormmon worp digivolve to........Dinobeemon!!" 

"Izzy?" Tai said frantically. "What is that??" 

Izzy tapped a few keys on his laptop. "That's Dinobeemon, the ultimate form of Wormmon. He's a hybrid between a bee and a dragon. He's extremely powerful and dangerous." 

The new enemy wasted no time. "Air Razor!!" 

Four energy blasts, one from each of his wings, shot out and were aimed right at the group." 

"Everyone scatter!!!" Tai yelled. 

Unfortunately, his warning came a second too late. The blast hit the ground, causing a massive explosion. It flung digimon and digidestined in various directions. 

Tai was very slow in getting up. He had hit the ground pretty hard. He looked around, and what he saw made his blood run cold. Mimi who looked very battered, was cradling an unconscious Izzy in her arms. Matt, who had a nasty gash in his forehead, was tending to a badly wounded Gabumon. Kari and TK were tending to Gomamon and Patamon, as well as themselves. 

Tai continued to scan the area until he saw what he was looking for. Sora was slow in getting off the ground too, but she seemed mostly all right. 

In one fell blow, Dinobeemon had taken out most of the team. Gabumon and Izzy were unconscious, and Tentomon couldn't digivolve with Izzy's help. Gomamon and Patamon were both badly hurt and were in no shape to fight. That left Palmon, Gatomon, Biyomon and Agumon. 

"Let's give this digimon the fight he wants!!" Tai called out. 

Everyone who was able nodded in agreement. 

In response, the four digimon digivolved into their most powerful forms. 

The battle raged on fiercely. Dinobeemon fought like a true warrior. Using a whirlwind force, he smashed Lillymon into the ground with a sickening thud. She reversed digivolved to her rookie state. Angewomon didn't fair much better. Dinobeemon simply avoided her Heaven's Charm and Celestial Arrow. He then used a Poison Sting on her, which connected. The poison was powerful and drained Angewomon of all her energy. She turned back into Gatomon and fell from the sky. Lucky for her, Kari caught her at the last moment. 

"Two against one, that's a little better," Dinobeemon snarled. 

Garudamon and WarGreymon fought bravely, but the enemy was just too well trained. Using a combination of his previous attacks, he defeated the last two digimon. Both hit the ground and moved no more. 

Dinobeemon turned his back on the digimon and focused on the leader of the digidestined. What he failed to realize was that Garudamon and WarGreymon had not reversed digivolved. They were down, but certainly not out. 

"I think I will bring your head to my master. If Davis were here, I would use him. You'll have to do instead," the large, insectoid/dragon digimon said as it advanced on Tai. 

Sora crouched on the ground, not far from where Tai was standing. The enemy wasn't paying any attention to what she was doing. There was no way she was going to let this digimon hurt Tai. She was going to have to time this just right if it was going to work. 

The large Dinobeemon took a position in front of Tai. He raised his hand up. It was obvious he was going to grab Tai and pick him up. 

It was just at that moment that Sora broke into a run. She reached Tai just a second before Dinobeemon was going to grab him. She pushed Tai out of the way, and was captured instead. 

"NOOOOOOOOOO!!" Tai screamed. 

Dinobeemon lifted Sora and brought her close to his face. "You're just postponing the inevitable my dear," he said to her, with an evil grin on his face. 

Sora didn't say anything, just stared into those large compound eyes. "I'm not going to let you hurt him," she whispered, her voice dangerously low. 

Dinobeemon laughed. "Is that so?" 

He was interrupted as Tai broke into the conversation. "Put her down!!" 

Dinobeemon averted his gaze to Tai. "I think not, my child of courage. This is fitting, actually. Since you care about her so much, I will deal with her first. In fact, she is going to pay for her transgression......with her life. Say good bye to your love." With that, he began to squeeze Sora with a vice like grip. 

Sora could feel pain radiating throughout her body. It got worse and worse with each passing second. She could hear her bones breaking and felt them pressing into her internal organs. A thin trickle fell from the corner of her mouth. She didn't need to see it to know that it was blood. She could feel herself losing consciousness, as she could no longer breathe. She would have told Tai that she loved him, if she had been able to speak. 

Just then, Sora and Tai's crests began to glow. Their love for each other was their energy, and as a result, was also their digimon's energy. Garudamon and WarGreymon, now recharged, got up and made there way to the enemy. 

Garudamon hit Dinobeemon from behind, wrapping one arm abound his neck and restraining his free arm with her other. Startled, he dropped Sora. WarGreymon caught her out of the air and deposited her in Tai's arms. 

While Garudamon held the evil digimon, WarGreymon built up energy for his attack. 

"Terra Force!!" 

Garudamon waited until the last moment before the blast hit before letting go. She flew away just in time. The attack hit Dinobeemon, and he was destroyed in a blinding flash of light. 

While Tai was happy to see the enemy destroyed, he could not celebrate because he was holding the broken body of his love in his arms. 

"Hang on........You're going to be OK.....," he said, trying to fight the sadness he was feeling. 

"I'm OK now that I'm with you again," Sora said weakly as she closed her eyes. 

Tai frantically checked her pulse, and was thankful that she still had one. She was also still breathing, but very slowly. 

Tai was so focused on Sora, he didn't notice that all the others had surrounded him. Everyone was looking incredibly worse for wear. Izzy, who had regained consciousness, was being supported by Mimi. He spoke to Tai. 

"Tai, listen to me. Recently, I was able to configure a portal to the real world in my computer. I have made it so that you will enter the real world through a computer at the hospital. It's not very powerful and can only transport a couple of people. Take Sora and go." 

Tai looked around, and saw everyone nodding in agreement. 

"Thank you," he whispered as he picked Sora up and held his digivice to Izzy's computer screen. They disappeared almost instantly. 

Everyone looked at everyone else. 

"C'mon," Matt said. "Let's find another portal and get back."   
  


When Tai had reached the hospital, he screamed his head off for some help. The hospital was very prompt in providing it. Tai was also able to avoid all the questions of where they came from and how they got in there. He was made to wait in the waiting room while they worked on Sora. The not knowing was absolutely killing him. 

After what seemed like an eternity, a doctor finally came to see him. Tai practically jumped out of his chair. 

"Are you the one who accompanied Miss Takenouchi?" the doctor inquired. 

"Yes. Where is she?? Is she all right??" 

"Please, calm yourself. Before I take you to see her, I need to speak with you about her condition." 

There was something in the doctor's voice that made Tai very wary. Reluctantly, he took a seat back in his chair. 

The doctor sighed and looked at Tai with sad eyes. "I'm very sorry, but I'm afraid there is nothing we can do for her. The damage to her body is just too severe. It's amazing that she survived long enough to make it to the hospital. The internal bleeding is massive cannot be stopped. She won't live for very much longer." 

As the doctor spoke, Tai felt all of the color drain out of his face. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. 

"Please....," Tai said, his voice quavering. "Can I see her?" 

"Of course. Follow me." 

The doctor took Tai to an room in the intensive care section of the hospital. For a moment, all Tai could do was stare at the door that stood between him and Sora. Gathering his resolve, he pushed it open and went inside. 

The sight of Sora made his heart leap into his throat. She had her eyes closed and was wrapped in a lot of bandages. He also noticed that there were several IV's inserted in her arms. Tai guessed they were probably pain killers. He took a seat in a chair next to her bed and took her hand in his. Sora opened her eyes when she felt Tai's touch. 

"Hey," he said quietly. He avoided her eyes, because looking into them would make him break down into tears. 

Sora lifted her free hand and brought it to his cheek. Firmly, but gently, she brought his face around to look at her. 

They stayed that way for awhile, staring deeply at each other. Tai spoke up this time, because if he didn't he would have completely lost control of his emotions. 

"What are you thinking about?" 

"I've been thinking about a lot of things actually." Sora said. 

"Like what?" 

Sora paused for a moment, as she tried to collect her thoughts. "Did you ever notice that when we try to think back to when we were born, that we can't remember anything? There is nothing that we can recall. Sometimes I wish I could have remembered. After all, it was a pretty big event in my life. What bothers me just as much is that fact that we don't know what happened before we were born. Maybe there is some sort of spirit realm, that we all came from. Or we start out as angels. I think that maybe, where ever we are before we are brought into this life, we are given an offer by some higher power. We have to sign some sort of supernatural contract, to give us a chance at real feelings and real sensations. We give up that existence, just to see how the beings on earth live. Would we have still signed the contract if we had known all the pain that would accompany all the pleasure, all the sadness that accompanies the delight? I would have. I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world, this one or the next." 

Sora stopped talking for a moment to try and catch her breath. It took all of her energy just to try to speak. 

"Do you really believe that?" Tai asked gently. 

"I don't know. I think there are lots of possibilities. Here's another way I look at it. Maybe our lives are just dreams. That when angels who did not get the chance to live go to sleep, they dream of what the lives of humans must be like. When we die, it is just those angels awakening. I wish I knew which my life was. Was I an angel who gave up her existence as one to live this human life, or am I just the dream of an angel who is about to wake?" 

Tai gripped Sora's hand. Tears just barely escaping from the corners of his eyes. "I don't want you to wake up. I want you to stay here with me, even if all this is just a dream." 

Sora smiled sadly. "I want to stay with you, more than anything. Fate has other plans for me though. I didn't think my life would be so short. Short as it may be, I was able to find you, my love. Despite how much it is talked about, true love is a very rare thing. I would rather die now, having known love, then live a hundred years and never have experienced it at all." 

Tai couldn't fight it anymore. His emotions finally broke and he wept. Sora leaned over and wrapped her arms around him, and just held him while he cried. 

When the sobs had slowed, Sora wiped away his tears. Tai brought his hands to her face, and gently kissed her. 

He had never in his life felt something that felt so right as this. She had never in her life felt something so deep and meaningful. Both cried because they knew it would not last for much longer.   
  


When Sora had been brought to the hospital, a receptionist had called her mother. The instant Mrs. Takenouchi heard that her daughter was hurt, she jumped in her car and raced to the hospital. 

When she arrived, Mrs. Takenouchi ran through the hospital corridors. When the doctor had told her of what her daughter's fate would be, she almost collapsed. It several moments to compose herself. That is when she went in search of the room that Sora was in. 

When she had finally found her destination, she paused outside the door. She momentarily leaned against the wall, resting her head against it. She brought a hand to her face, trying to collect her thoughts. As her finger tips touched her cheeks, she could feel moisture. It was only then did she realize that she had been crying the whole way there. 

Mrs. Takenouchi briefly thought back to the last time she had cried, really cried. It was as Sora and the rest of the digidestined left to go back to the digital world, about seven years ago. 

'How on earth could I have a daughter that wears her heart on her sleeve, when I have the hardest time showing any outward emotion?' she thought to herself. 

Wiping her eyes and taking a deep breath, she gently pushed open the door and stepped inside. 

What she saw made a small smile tug at her lips. Tai and Sora were kissing. It was a very touching scene. 

Sora's broke the kiss and her eyes moved to where her mother was standing. Mrs. Takenouchi rushed forward and enveloped Sora into a hug. 

"I'll be right outside," Tai said quietly. "I love you," he whispered in her ear as he got up and left. 

"I love you too," Sora whispered right back. 

Mrs. Takenouchi gripped Sora tightly, never wanting to let her go. It made her regret all the times in the past when she should have taken her daughter into her arms, and didn't. 

Both reluctantly broke the embrace as Sora settled back onto the propped up pillows. Mrs. Takenouchi's eyes strayed from her daughter for a moment. Sora was so very pale. Just looking at Sora made her mother want to break down. 

"It's OK," Sora said softly. 

Sora's mom blinked, turning her gaze back to her daughter. "What's OK?" 

"To cry." 

Mrs. Takenouchi bit the inside of her lip. 'I have to be strong.......I have to be strong......,' she repeated that mantra over and over again in her mind. Her daughter, and only child, was not long for this world. She had to be brave, both for her sake and for Sora's. 

"Sometimes, Sora, it just hurts too much to cry." 

The child of love smiled slightly and shook her head. Her mother was always the strong one. Sora had once mistaken that strength for her mother being uncaring. Thanks to her digimon partner though, Sora knew that her mother loved her more than anything. 

Sora recounted the story of what had happened in the digital world. When she had finished her story, Mrs. Takenouchi spoke. 

"Why did you have to be so brave?" she said, her voice breaking ever so slightly. 

"Because of something you taught me. We have to protect the ones we love. It was the same way seven years ago. Remember? When you protected me from the Bakemon, and allowed me to escape?" 

Mrs. Takenouchi nodded, remembering clearly the day when she gave herself up to the Bakemon. 

"I love Tai. I love him more than I ever thought was possible. As long as there was anything I could do about it, I was not going to let him get hurt." 

Mrs. Takenouchi completely understood. Her daughter had given her life to save someone she loved. Just as Mrs. Takenouchi would have gladly given up her life to save her daughter's. 

The two lapsed into silence. Sora's energy was almost completely gone. She looked at her mother with glassy eyes. 

"I'm so tired, Momma....," Sora's voice was the saddest thing her mother had ever heard. 

"I know," Mrs. Takenouchi said, trying in vain to fight her tears. "You rest now, my little one." She leaned over and kissed her daughter on the forehead. "I love you," she whispered, as a solitary tear traced a path down her cheek. 

Sora reached up and brushed it away. "I love you too." She paused for a moment, looking at her mother with fear in her eyes. "Will you stay with me? Just until I fall asleep? I don't want to be alone." Deep inside, Sora knew that when she closed her eyes, it would be for the last time. 

Mrs. Takenouchi nodded, continuing to hold Sora's hand. 

Her eyelids were just so heavy. She had to give in, because the angel of death always wins in the end. Sora's breathing got slower as she closed her eyes. Mrs. Takenouchi watched the rising and falling of her daughter's chest. Slower. Slower. Stop. 

There was nothing Mrs. Takenouchi could do to keep her emotions inside any longer. Laying her head on her lap, she cried. She never believed it was possible to feel this much pain. 

She wasn't really sure how time had passed. It didn't really matter though. Nothing really mattered anymore. The most important person in her life was gone. Slowly getting up, she kissed her daughter one last time, and then left the room. 

Mrs. Takenouchi staggered out of the door. Tai stood up from a chair and caught her arm to steady her. When he saw the look on her face, he knew that Sora was gone. 

"I'm s..sorry...that...I......couldn't keep her safe.......," Tai said through a choked sob. 

Sora's mother drew Tai into a hug and held him while they both cried. "Shhhh. It's not your fault, Tai. Sora was the most loving person that I had ever known or will ever know. I believe, in my heart, that this is the way she would have chosen to go. I can't think of anything more noble then giving your life to save another." 

Tai cried for a little while. When his sobs had slowed, he spoke. "It's not fair." 

"What's not fair?" 

"The fact that sometimes the people we love fight so hard, and they still can't be saved. This shouldn't have been her time." 

Tai let go of Mrs. Takenouchi and she did the same to him. He furiously wiped his eyes on his sleeve, slightly ashamed that he had been openly weeping. 

Mrs. Takenouchi placed a hand on Tai's shoulder. "It's OK, you know." 

Tai gave her a quizzical look, unsure of what she was talking about. 

"To cry," she said as tears streamed down her cheeks. "Sora taught me that."   
  


The End   


More Author's Notes: Well? How was that? I'd love to hear what you guys thought of it. Please let me know:) Oh, and the views expressed about life beyond this one are not necessarily mine. They're just ideas, that's all. Just something for you to think about:) Until next time. 

"The problem is not dying for a friend, but to find a friend worth dying for." 


End file.
